We all Wear Masks Spider-Man
by LackOfUpdates
Summary: Spider-Man got with a reality warp that was never meant to happen, he now wields alternate dimensional knowledge. He wasn't the only one affected by the warp. He lives in a city full of crime on the rise, living a life as Spider-Man just got a whole lot messier.
1. Spectacular - 001

_Chapter 1 [Spectacular…]_

**Wed, Sept 3 2008**

I standing atop the Empire State Building's balcony overlooking the city. I blinked as memories rushed in. I was...I was Spider-man. After that revelation I managed to keep from panicking and falling off the building.

/

/

/

Now that would have been embarrassing. I couldn't tell you how I ended up hundreds of meters off the ground perched on a ledge near Gargoyle Senior but I was here.

I had a massive rush of memories, that or Peter had been replaced by myself. Honestly it was hard to tell the difference. There wasn't much to process other than I was _him_, and he was _me. _Everything settled in comfortably, it was like if Peter had just gotten memories from an alternate future self...that was almost nothing like him and from a different dimension or the opposite happened and I replaced him subsuming his memories. I decided it didn't matter, we were one and the same. Reviewing _my old/new _memories I was-

Spider Sense blared. A bank alarm rang in the distance.

My body had already leapt off the building. I guess that was my cue.

I could tell you how dangerous it felt, the nerves, the terror and the heart beat escalating but after the first _thwip, _it was heaven.

"Whoooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooo!" Forget the existential crisis of becoming a comic book character this was way better or having someone invading my head.

I saw two very familiar criminals hopping roof tops carrying comically large bank bags. I shook my head.

Landing on the ledge of the ten meter tall water tower, I turned on a spider themed headlight. In a way Peter was more comical, the nerd, seriously Batman's headlights on his _utility belt_.

"Marko, Marko where's Polo? Ah wait there he is!"

"Ah damn it."

"Damn straight." I was going to enjoy this.

It wasn't a fight, but a circus show only the strongman could juggle too.

"Hrk, please put us down…"

"I think I'm going to hurl…"

The two whined and complained as I quite literally juggled them alongside the money bags, "Come one come all to feast your eyes on the aaaamaaazzing Spider-Man!" I threw them at the water tower and pinned them with webs and then took a bow in the Big Man's direction, where he had installed his camera's. "Thank you, thank you, I'll be here till the _last breath."_

Then swung away.

/

/

/

As I sat there late at night thinking about what I had just done, besides possibly pissing off the Big Man of crime, New York's "Kingpin" who wasn't Wilson Fisk (As far as I knew) it was going to be insane.

I had a vague idea of where I was the two Marko and O'hearn gave a good idea of where that could've been.

Sitting there tinkering I had all the IQ of a genius a little bit more, seriously I could probably make an Arc Reactor if had the right material. But that wasn't the focus right now, what I needed to know was exactly who did I share the spider-man universe with. It would be prudent to assess all the threats before worrying about the more luxurious things such as if I was a comic book side character. I stopped tinkering. No way it was spider-man, he was the anti-thesis of sidekick. Unless you looked at the MCU…

I booted up his old computer, yeah this was going to need an upgrade, once on- internet explorer!? Alright no. First things first, this fossil was getting a major overhaul.

So about an hour later, I had something resembling a poor's man's Bat Computer. It could function at a few times the speed and was off the grid, and had better programs a few years ahead of its time. Most of the stuff old me/Peter had for some reason thought was incredibly complicated and never bothered to finish. .

I yawned and checked the time, noting it was 1AM. School was going to suck in the morning- oh shit school. Yeah that's going to have to be something I opt out on soon. Somehow.

Searching online, I found the Avenger's Mansion. It's not the MCU that's for sure, thank God It was a nice universe, but it shit on or wasted potential of everything with the exception of the main core Avengers, Captain America, Iron Man, Loki. I still loved the movies but yeah, loads of wasted potential wasn't sure why that was the case when they had so much to draw on. I felt strangely giddy at the idea that Spider-Man had been working with Tony Stark, ah right.

I sat on my back reading the article of the Gravity Guy nearly destroying all of New York. That sounded familiar but it wasn't quite ringing any bells, it's not like I had memorized exactly what happened in each Avenger's timeline and universe. Just some of the mainstream ones.

I left it alone. Focusing on the others. The Fantastic Four was a thing, some sightings that might've been Daredevil, Iron Fist and some of the other 'Street Venders' like himself. There was also Xavier he had been around a while. Maybe I'd go visit during the weekend.

For now sleep and worry about all that later. Ah and refill the webbing…

Darkness enclosed and was fast asleep.

/

/

/

Maybe a few seconds had passed and with blurry eyes I looked at the clock.

Ah it was 7:54 AM I had time…

Then I bolted up slamming my head off the edge of the bookshelf above.

Dammit, I had six minutes!

/

/

/

Wouldn't you know it? Three crimes all simultaneously happening at the same time. New York was just the best. I was late by a mile. Because I hadn't stocked up on webbing either.

"PARKER!"

I refuse this trend.

"PRINCIPAL! Good day to you too! Thanks for stopping by, did I say how much I appreciate what it is you do?"

He pointed to his office.

I winced, this might have to do with the prank Harry and Peter pulled last year involving copious amounts of pink paint, calls from the education board about a review of the school, tiling everything in his office a centimeter to the left, and posting the answers to the tests online. Harry was an evil mastermind in the making.

He had a grudge match against Harry and I since.

/

/

/

I laid there bored out of my mind until I heard the words "expelled."

"You want to expel me for missing a single class?"

"No that would be ridiculous. I want to suspend you for all the trouble you cause this school."

"You're kidding."

"Serious. The incidents with Flash Eugene Thompson-"

"You recognize he's quite literally bullying myself and others, right?"

"-The pranks."

"-Which you have no proof of."

"-And the constant lateness."

"Alright you got me there." That had to do more with the distance of Midtown, traffic and money shortages at times.

"If you keep this up-"

"How about we skip to the part where I scratch your back and you mine, what do you need doc?"

He stopped talking mid-sentence, trying to process with his old cpu brain. His eye ticking, before he sighed, "There's a group of new transfer students coming by, show them around I have another meeting to get to and the other teachers aren't available."

Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, "What are their names?"

"I'm not done, you don't get to opt out in this, small tour _and _you will join the tutoring club, there is scarcely any members there, you are to tutor any and or all failing students for the next three months."

Ah. That might be a problem, "If I don't?"

"If you don't? Well then I would suggest schooling elsewhere, such as Backupsmore High."

That drug den? No thanks. "I'm good." Until I found a place to let me homeschool myself long enough before I could take a GED.

"Glad that's settled, your tour will begin at 3pm they start tomorrow."

/

/

/

Well this was just swell.

/

/

/

"Wow Pete. You have it bad."

"T'yeah no kiddin?"

Harry sat beside me as I told him what had happened. He was one of my two best friends and had been since a few years back. He had short red hair in an odd pattern and skinnier arms than myself, if that were possible.

"When The Flash shoots he scores, but even he needs to get into position. What are you doing man?"

"There were many misdemeanors caused on my persons officer, I was framed."

"Yeah, lucky you're not an employee of my dad or you would've been fired ages ago."

"I'll have you know if I worked him, I would've fired myself."

"Right my dad, Norman Osborn the Supervillain. He plots tech improvements on military hardware Pete...while not really clean. He's not a Supervillain, what's he gonna do force everyone on planet earth suffer board meetings for six hours straight?"

"Hmmmm. Maybe."

"What's this about Harry's dad being a Supervillain?".

Gwen placed her tray down beside us. I had mixed feelings about this one, on a few levels. It turns out originally I did have a crush on her, something I was still having trouble processing with how many ways she turned out in various timelines. Most of which with a snapped neck. I kept all of that to myself of course.

Still she was beautiful. Whether that was bias or otherwise I didn't care.

"Ah, our royal highness deigns to grace us with her presence."

She blushed a little, "Your royal highness wonders as to where your whereabouts were this morning."

"Napping."

"Supervillain?"

"Harry's dad is creating super soldiers for the highest bidder."

"...What?"

Harry let out a long suffering sigh, "He's got it in his head that my dad is the master of evil in the city."

"He probably steals all the free pockets of ketchup in fast food joints just for his twisted villainy."

Harry rolled his eyes, "Right speaking of villainy, did you guys hear the news? We have real life superheroes!"

"The Avengers is such a weird name I kept mixing it up with Advent." Said Gwen.

"Whatever their names were they beat the Gravity man, now that's seriously classy!"

"Think seriously classy could install a new institution for education?"

"Come Pete it's not that bad just some tutoring."

"Yeah, tutoring all over my free time."

"You don't do anything."

"I...well I have stuff."

He looked at me, "Ah," then grinned, "don't worry your secret's safe with me pal."

"You and I had two very different understandings there."

"Say no more, as one mano to another el mano I-" before he could finish a football smashed off my lunch tray splattering food all over us. It would've gotten the other had I not flipped their trays sliding off the food easy and covered them, I was not so safe getting drenched in the process.

The laughter of a large part of the lunchroom was rather irritating.

Flash Thompson, judging by the memories I had received, Peter Parker's near eternal annoyance. A blonde jock whose athletic ability didn't translate to his wit, academia or general human decency.

"Whoops my hands slipped." Then guffawed like he had heard the world's best joke.

I tried to be mad, I really did. Normally, I would've been, but all I felt was pity. Seriously, these memories just twisted my worldview so hard. Why I ever thought high school was all there was to life I'll never understand myself.

Gwen tugged on my sleeve, "Come on."

Harry was almost raring to go, and we both knew how that'd turn out.

/

/

/

I waited for my entourage so I could play tour guide after school. Gwen helped with cleaning my clothes off even giving what was known between the three of us as "the Look" but I waved them off not wanting them to waste time needlessly. Bored out of my skull, I wondered why they were arriving now instead of in the morning.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder just as I was about to drift off into Morpheus' land of the damned.

I blinked to see a brown haired girl with four others. Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue and Nightcrawler. I was surprised at how easily I could recognize them on sight even if they looked very different from how I imagined them. I suspected it was due mostly to Cyclops.

"Hi," she said a little unhappily, "Are you our guide?"


	2. Our World's About to Break - 002

_Chapter 2 [Our World's about to Break...]_

"Yeah, I'm assuming you're the tourists."

She blinked, "We're the transfer students you dumb-"

The red head with the clean honour student demeanor and look, baggy pants excluded, interpreted what she said, "What she means to say is that our names are, Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Kurt Wagner, Robert Drake and-"

"-You can call me Bobby." Said the guy in the happy go lucky brown hair in the back. He was dressed a little lighter than most, khaki shorts and a t-shirt. Like he was constantly in summer which wasn't surprising considering he was usually in Ice-Form, and could control and make ice.

"-I can introduce myself," she scowled, "R-."

"Anna Marie, yes!" At the panicked eyes of the redhead, she continued.

"Rogue." She herself wore a smug smile, a green hoodie that almost looked like a suit, a studded choker and ripped pants.

The two behind her facepalmed and the one known as Kurt hung his head.

For some reason Rogue really didn't like Jean, and for some reason they were hiding their identities.

"Okay, then. Nice to meet you guys."

Pleasantries out of the way, I went about showing them around, from our lovely cafeteria, the growing fungi and mold were very exciting inciting their looks of disgust, and Jean's wonderment at how this place was still going. To our fabulous classrooms, one of which they cornered me in.

"So have you noticed anything weird?" asked Scott, he wore shades, and was a lot shorter than I thought he'd be. There were some

"Like what?"

"Oh I don't know random bones growing out of your arms?"

They were really bad at this, "That...sounds incredibly painful and weird. And something of a problem."

[Random "Fun" Fact: In Real Life in Bangladesh had fungi tree hands. Obviously not normal and had to go into surgery. And there are some rare cases of random body parts growing where they shouldn't like teeth on skin.]

"So do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you have kind of...weird birth defect." Scott asked, as Jean facepalmed.

"Birth defect. Really?"

"Yeah." Good lord this man had the social graces of a rock. Not that I was any better, but I wasn't this bad. I think.

"I...like to climb things?"

"Do you make sentient machines from inanimate objects?" Kurt asked excitedly in heavily accented german.

"No." This was becoming a little painful, "Look is there a point to these questions?" If I didn't have to worry about Aunt May, I might've just told them to keep this from becoming any more painful.

They exchanged glances, Rogue took a breath and...

/

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/

I couldn't swing home, so I made my over to the USPTO and figured out what I needed to do and what forms I needed to fill out for new inventions. There was a lot less than I figured I had to do, and of course a small fee of about $40 dollars. Which I didn't have. Ugh, of course not. I decided it would be prudent to sell some of my old things on E-bay and maybe also make a small site for paid writing. That would garner me some easy money soon enough, for now I had to settle for standing outside in the rain.

Booking it down the street holding my sweater above me like a makeshift umbrella. I realized I needed to fill up on spider-man's webs, as well as buying my own merchandising rights. Screw Kingpin. He ain't doing jack to the merch.

[Now you know/Spoilers: In the Ultimate Comics Kingpin bought Spidey's merchandising rights. It was legit amazingly real, villain-like and a win on his end. Spidey replied with fat jokes. Best professional superhero clearly.]

There was a heavy thump and another heavy thump. It sounded like something large walking down the road, when I heard screaming and cars colliding.

That was...I looked at my empty web shooters. That's... my que.

Once today was done, I was going to make a Batman utility belt _specifically _for web cartridges.

/

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/

Soaring through the air, I landed on the edge of a building overlooking the massive forest park (?) in the middle of the city. Funny enough Spider-Man was actually faster running than he was swinging, with the exception of the slingshot.

[Now you know/Spoilers: The wikia lies, Spidey can run at 90mph+. Though since its comics he's done ridiculous stunts that surpass that with ease, comic book writers aren't scientists after all, nor do they care for power scaled consistency.)

Just entering it now was the Hulk. He seemed to be just walking but I decided to see what was up.

Landing beside him, "So uh, nice night for a walk huh?"

"**Leave me alone**." His voice growled heavy grinding gravel tones.

"Alright alright, " He seemed to be fine on his own and it's not like the Hulk was evil, "You sure you don't want to talk about it? Sometimes it makes people feel better."

The Hulk continued to walk, almost seeming to debate with himself before he didn't say anything. Since he wasn't saying anything I decided to leave him alone. Before I left I realized something off with his head, it seemed to glow yellow?

Must've been a trick of the light pollution, there was definitely something weird about today. I had felt a strange tingling at the base of my feet all day, it was quiet at first so I hadn't noticed, but now it had grown. Maybe having spider powers had something against having to walk vertically all the time.

As I walked out of the park it had gone down significantly, even though it was still there.

Hmm. Maybe something to get to the bottom of-

_WHOOMP._

The ground shook beneath my feet. That didn't sound right. I quickly ran back, scaling the trees like a cyborg tarzan.

Landing on a branch at the edge of the clearing in the middle of the park, I saw the Hulk ram a fist into Thor's face, I could feel the shockwave, as he flew back crashing into the statue in the middle of the park. I knew he was strong, but that was like artillery fire locked in his fist. There was a sudden fear I would likely die if he hit me anywhere near as hard.

Still, this could escalate...and-

_A smile, a gun, as one door closes, and another man's life ends._

-Yeah, that's not happening.

/

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/

"Yo ho! What avast me there landlubber!" I didn't quite remember which whacky ancient english accent Thor spoke.

"**Grrr! Graaaah!**" Hulk roared in rage, causing the ground to termor a little before he threw a massive piece of broken rubble from the statue. I dodged with the grace of a fly, (they were very good at dodging), having felt it coming. I gripped the giant boulder flying with it outside city limits and it nearly crashed into an apartment building, but maneuvering it enough to avoid hitting one, I managed to get it to land in the streets. Though I destroyed someone's car.

I checked to see if the man wasn't hurt, expecting it to be empty but it seemed it just wasn't my day. Not only was it occupied but the man's arm was crushed and he was unconscious. Noting that I needed to get back to the fight I quickly put down the boulder onto the street, and booked it to the nearest hospital, and burst through the doors.

"I need a doctor, now!"

People rushed forward in medical garbs and a trolley once they say the broken man. I set him gently on the gurney and rushed back outside without waiting another word.

I picked up the boulder on the way back ready to throw it at somebody but when got to the clearing I saw the Enchantress and Skurge there.

[Now you know/Spoilers: Skurge and Amora are Asgardians, she has magic powers and is incredibly powerful, stronger than most superhumans at 25 tons simply by being Asgardian. Which about 12 cars at once. Skurge is levels stronger his strength somewhere around 65 tons, holding up an airplane if it had its wings and tail ripped off.

Amora loves Thor and keeps trying to marry the guy, Thor continues to be a Thot repellent and says as much,

"Yeet thy Thot!" - (Probably) Thor.

Skurge likes Amora and she uses him to her advantage. As if she wasn't enough of a Thot. Seriously the guy needs to find someone else. ]

Amora . Now being the gentleman that I was, I couldn't hit a women, I threw the boulder, "Think faster!" at her. But she was a thot, therefore acceptable.

"What the-" Right before the boulder rammed into her face. And she was down.

I blinked. Asgardians are supposed to be one of the strongest species. I...didn't expect that.

I heard a roar, and turned with my spidey sense blaring, jumping backwards a massive axe sheared through a large swath of the forest.

"You!"

"Me?"

"I'm going to kill you!"

"Wait, let me see if I'm covered by insurance-Whoa!" Dodging a lung, I grabbed a tree and sent him flying like a batter hitting a homerun, "Touchdown, and the crowd goes wild!"

"I don't think that's how it works," said a tiny female voice.

I didn't have any time to pay attention as Skurge _surged _out of the trees like an Olympic sprinter who had gotten his NASCAR's license and was taking his ride for a spin. He held his hand out and his axe came flying back into his hand with a loud _WHUMP._

That thing must've been ridiculously heavy. I could see Hulk in peripheral as he beat on Thor and Iron Man. He really was a one man army. The thunder, lightning and repulsor lightshow made it a lot easier to see his glowing yellow eyes.

Uh, was he supposed to be doing that? Skurge then disappeared, I blinked and my spidey sense-

_I moved. _

Where my head had been the axe sliced thin air. I leapt back to get some distance when he disappeared again, and I bent at angles most gymnasts wished they could.

How was he teleporting!?

He then swung his weapon a few times before throwing it, but unlike the other times, it was on _fire_. I decided I had enough of it, and grabbed it out of the air. Twirling it to keep the momentum going-

_KILL. _

I-

_MURDER. _

Cant-

_BLOOD. _

I need to let go-

_DEATH. _

The axe dropped, a loud thunk, its weight and momentum from the spin slicing through the ground like butter. He was in front of me, but I couldn't move, still recovering from _whatever that was._

A large yellow blast of energy, combined with blue nailed him in the face, sending him flying back.

I sat down not being able to move. Taking a breath, I watched him get him without doing anything, a vague sense of a plan formed in my mind as I looked back to see Hulk toss Iron Man into the upper atmosphere. The Wasp wasn't having much better fortune.

Spider-Sense exploded, and I moved. One thing to note about Skurge. He was stronger than me, by several magnitudes. He could probably bench press a few skyscrapers compared to the cars I could throw. He had seen and fought in many more battles than I had. But something I had he didn't was my speed. Just as he went for my head once more, I pulled at his arm, moving into a quick Judo stance and threw him at Hulk.

The Hulk enraged by the constant attacks had punched him accidentally and utterly destroyed him. The dude was strong but clearly not Hulk.

Spidey Sense blared and I moved to see the Enchantress swiping at my head and everything going dark…


	3. Tormented and Attacked - 003

_Chapter 3 [...Tormented and Attacked…]_

I felt something against my stomach. Immeasurable pain, and I woke up. A blurry tree was in front of me and I tried to figure out how long I had been standing there when I moved my hands. The sound of shackles locking, pulling me back to swing back and forth. I was chained to the ceiling with arms far apart, the abyss under my feet. Above my head a low ceiling.

This was a problem. In front of me wasn't a tree but an angry tall guy with three tattoos on his bald head. He pulled his arm back and punched me in the stomach. I threw up blood.

My mask was nowhere to be seen so the projectile fell far below into the abyss. Some hitting him, _accidentally._

"You are an amusing one. I've never seen a mortal with such strength before." Amora slinked into view her hands glowing with power as she floated a broken staff down beside her, "Midgard is as interesting as I've heard, I can see why that blonde fool continues to play at being mortal."

I was in so much pain, vision blurry but I got out, "Not that different from you, though you're a few thousand years out of date, while the caveman aesthetic is very chic, it's not our current decor. It would be a shame if something happened to it."

With that I pulled down with all my strength, breaking one of the chains, and punched him in the chin, Skurge stumbled veering away from the edge before I whipped the chain around his throat and pulled him down as he smashed his face off the ground completely out. It looked like Asgardian physiology wasn't all that different from human, a knock to the chin would down anyone, before I could break out from the other chain, a glow of power stopped me.

"Normally I would be beyond angry that my plans were disrupted _again_," she made a face of distaste as she looked at Skurge. It turned to a smug one when she continued to monologue her plans like a two bit bond villain, "Only he was more so an annoyance. Hela's lapdog who bayed for too much blood for my liking. You just saved me a lot of time and extra planning, thus for your reward, one of Asgard's strongest weapons, for you."

She floated it up and raised my free hand to forcibly grasp the Staff-

/

.

/

There on the couch. I was in my house. I grabbed my head trying to remember what I had been doing before. My head pounding as tidal wave of _something _roared in my mind. I was feeling strangely angry, and I didn't know why.

I say the t.v. glow its blue electric screen onto the couch. Why couldn't I see the front? Why was I so far away?

Fear gripped my every step. Heart pounding I turned to see her lying still with her eyes open. An angry red forked tree on her skin, marks of someone struck by lightning. Rare and almost never happened, but she had it snaked up her arms and onto her face curling around her right eye. Large cauterized wound of a lightning strike in her side.

_**DEATH OF AUNT MAY. **_

She...her face was so peaceful.

_**ANGER. **_

It couldn't be. Lightning… it didn't happen indoors. There was a KRAKA-BOOM outside. I walked down the hallway and opened the door to see Thor in the air rotating his hammer. Slamming his hammer down and cracking the entirety of the sub-urban area.

Why. Thor wouldn't… This doesn't make sense. S methi g was wr ng.

**KILLER OF CITIES.**

Cities burned, buildings melted from repulsor beams. Others in ruins by missiles. The _**IRON MAN**_ faceplate quiet as he laid waste to the city. Blood running down the streets...

**BREAK THE- **

**$# % %$ %%%#**

_**-AvENGeRS**_

/

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/

I landed atop the icy ledge overlooking the _**Murderers **_that had no right joking and laughing. Ant-Man, Wasp, alongside Thor, and Iron Man. The Hulk nowhere to be seen, unsurprising because they were attacking him the last I saw them. We were at the outskirts of Amora's Golden Palacein the ice lands of some place in Asgard.

They must've followed me to finish the job, not that I would let that happen. **The Iron #$%$ **flew with his legs _unbroken_.

Let's fix that. I jumped, using the sun behind my back to keep him from noticing my airborne body. Slamming into him with the berserker Staff, quickly flipping him and smashing him into the **Asgardian lapdog**. I ripped his Arc Reactor from his chest, crushing it, before going for his head.

I had to finish this fast, a prolonged fight wouldn't work in my favour as they were still new to this and thus _**weak.**_

A large crackle of thunder and Spider Sense blared, I jumped backwards as Mjolnir passed by my head. A supernova for my Spider Sense, nearly overriding everything in my body to make sure I _absolutely _kept from being hit under all circumstances.

A female voice hovered just out of range, "Tony! Thor what's going on!?"

**The sycophant **answered her, "Thy mortal is under the Berserker Staff rage, it increases strength to that of an Asgardian at the cost of his mind. He can't be allowed to continue wielding it."

Distracted it cost him the battle, smashing the Staff against his hand, causing him to yell with pain as he dropped the hammer.

Good. Maybe he'd understand now. Then thrust the sharp end of the staff to pierce his sternum. It barely dented his skin as he flew hundreds of meters back, making my job that much harder as I grit my teeth in fury.

He had dropped his hammer. I lifted it.

Thunder crackled from the clouds above before streaking down like a tidal wave smashed into my body. The world opened to my senses, I could smell ozone, the weight of my being became heavier. I almost laughed overjoyed at the feeling of power. Only the power had also cleared my mind of the strange cloud, and I saw what I had done. Iron Man laid on his back with a gaping hole in his armour. Thor wasn't in sight as Ant-Man had been knocked out by the initial strike and Wasp was nowhere to be found.

"No...I, he..." Shame and humiliation filled my body. I almost kill- I was...I shouldn't have. I should've been strong enough.

It was Enchantress' fault. It was hers, not mine. My hands shook, the orange glow of the broken staff lighting up the mountain side. The cloud returned with a familiar coarse fit. o, I should've been strong enough. My anger at my inability to control my mind came back this time directed at Enchantress.

It was her fault.

My mind roared with something but less intense from before, the left side of my body glowing with fiery liquid glow, the right with blue lightning. Both in tandem powering my me, and helping focus my mind on the _Enchantress. _

I was going to make her pay.

There was a voice trying to tell me something but it was too quiet to listen to.

/

.

/

I crashed through the roof of her palace, cratoring the flooring and sending cracks up the foundation, surprise in her (&%Y$ eyes. She sat in her golden green throne room surrounded by jewellery mountains high. The place an architectural wonder, but I only wondered what it would be like in ruins.

I lifted the Hammer and storm clouds brewed. Lightning crackling down my body, her eyes wide with shock and fear, she quickly waved her hand. There was a strange glowing green mist on my left hand holding the staff that dispelled. I felt my fingers unstick a little-

**BOOM. **

I turned to see the giant gold doors flying towards me, reacting with lightning speeds, I smashed them with the hammer sending them towards the walls with a resounding **BOOM**. However, they were a diversion as a repulsor beams hit me in the chest.

It was enough to only push me back a little when I heard a tiny voice shout, "Fastball Special!" I noted my spider sense blaring but couldn't see anything. Until a giant fist just appeared out of nowhere faster than I could react sending me flying backwards.

There was an explosion of dust and debris about twenty meters behind my flying body as my spider sense blared again. Using the hammer to twist and throw the staff at the person that just landed, it slammed into him at high velocity knocking him back.

The strange fog I hadn't realized was weighing on my mind lifted and I tried to understand what had just happened. My spider sense blared and another beam came barreling towards my head. I twisted my head to dodge and jumped towards him, he wasn't going to listen to reason I was sure, Tony wasn't exactly well versed in mind control. He wasn't fast enough and it was back to having the same thing happen again but this time I left the hammer on top of him instead of ripping his Reactor out.

I tried to calm him down.

"Right, uh this is embarrassing. Sorry about that Thor. Iron Man. The staff is gone from my hand," I showed them the empty one, "The Enchantress had the magic stick the staff to it so I couldn't let go until recently. Again real sorry."

I didn't feel calm inwardly but outwardly I showed I was in control.

"Yeah that's great an all, but could you lift the Hammer off me?"

I blinked, "Right of course." I lifted it off him. He got up slowly and turned to me. He put a hand on my shoulder, before putting his left on my chest. A sudden pain and I flew twenty meters into a pillar.

"Now we're even. That's for destroying my Arc Reactor."

I raised a hand from the rubble and pointed it at him, "That's fair." Honestly, it assuaged a lot of my guilt, having attacked them with the intent to _hurt _earlier.

Thor marched up to the massive throne, lightning flaring from his eyes. Saying he was a little angry was like if you said storms were a little windy.

"Enchantress! What is the meaning of this?!"

Her eyes were however locked on my right hand for some reason, "Oh you know, women need a little excitement in their lives. You seemed to be having such fun in Midgard, I just had to experience it for myself."

He growled, "Why did you kidnap him, he has no bearing with Asgardians." Felt oddly touched Thor was getting angry on his behalf. That or it was because Amora.

"Normally, I wouldn't care for mortals except to toy with them, I had wanted to get a little payback for when he beat my minion and myself, but now…"

She looked like she was building up to something, as she stepped closer Thor and Iron Man getting ready to fire, the Wasp ready to fire as well alongside the 60 meter tall Giant Man. Though wondered when they had gotten here, having not noticed them during the fight.

She disappeared and reappeared within a cloud of green mist about ten meters from where I stood, "Join me."

I thought about it, "No." I tried. Really hard not to get mad.

"I won't allow you, Enchantress-" Thor stopped mid-steam surprised as everyone else was.

She looked confused, "What do you mean 'no'?"

I could understand what everyone was thinking. She lived up to her name the Enchantress. She was beautiful in a strange ethereal way. Looking at her I could see people falling over themselves for her just to talk to her, just to stare at her. Maybe under different circumstances and if I hadn't known her, I would've too.

Except she made me hold the staff. I don't think anyone quite understood what it was like having someone mess with my mind. Their reactions showed that, but I wasn't letting that go any time soon.

I was going to respond in a very classic Spidey fashion until I could reassess exactly how I was going to get revenge.

Instead I said, "Okay first off you look like you don't eat healthy or ever exercise. That and you look like every schoolgirl bully valley stereotype graduated and just went to a university full of them and came out on top. In the worst possible way." I also added, "You're also ugly."

She blinked, "What?"

"Oooh snap." The Wasp said.

"Is he allowed to say that? That's going against the bro code, right?" Tony muttered, "Hey, so if he's saying no, I could always help you with-"

"Quiet, Tin Man." Enchantress bit out. Wow, she was mad. She turned with barely contained rage to face me, "Think twice mortal."

"Well," I might've but after those visions, "If you wanted me to add more..." I took a deep breath and went on a yo mama segment. For about twenty minutes.

There was silence as everyone processed this.

Enchantress said, "What?" As if she was still stuck on what I had said earlier.

Thor turned away from us and seemed to let out a quick snort. He couldn't hold it in for long before he started to laugh.

"Quiet!" Thor only laughed harder, "Shut your mouth!" She sent a blast of energy sending him into the column, it just wasn't his day. Before she was attacked by both Wasp and Tony with lasers.

I just threw Mjolnir as Thor shot back with lightning knocking her out. Or so it seemed as she dispersed into yellow dust.

"Did...she just die?" Wasp asked.

"No. She escaped." Thor said his shoulders shaking as he tried to keep a straight face.

"Ah."

Thor turned to me with a grin, "You are definitely worthy of that hammer. I haven't laughed like that in a long time."

"I aim to please."

"Indeed. Now that the battle is won. Spoils of war are generally given to the most worthy and he in turn chooses who to give them to. Technically you have no limit however three is the most common number chosen and is the least offensive, she won't mind that. Anymore and you might have problems."

I looked to the mountain of jewels before realizing the perfect form of revenge, "Where's the library?"

/

.

/

We arrived back in New York, luckily it was still night time. I also read through a large number of Enchantress' books before leaving. Thor handed a number of them over slapping my back that nearly bowled me over, stating something about worthy spoils of war. I didn't really understand when this had ever been a rule in comics but hey I got magic now.

I'd say some of the others. One sec I'll get it

"So, you beat us up, destroyed my Arc Reactor, and made us go on a trek through Asgard."

"Which was so cool to see!" Wasp said very happily. She was one of the more fun Avengers, nice to see that stayed true in this universe.

"But you kind of attacked us-"

"Aye, it was a fun battle! Haven't had a good match in a while."

"You just fought the Hulk," Ant-Man said exasperatedly.

"Aye it was like the battle was yesterday."

"It _was._"

Tony started again, "Anyways, what I'm trying to say is-"

"Tony just give him the Avenger's Card," Wasp interrupted again.

Tony sighed, "Fine here, don't lose it. I'm not making you any replacements."

The card was quite literally the coolest thing, I knew I was going to be dissecting it the first chance I got. I said instead, "So does this give me a discount for Avenger's merchandise?"

He looked at me, before his faceplate flipped down and he blast off towards Avenger's Mansion.

Wasp giggled, "Don't worry Tony's just mad that he got beat up so quickly, he likes you too."

"I'll send him an Iron Man chew toy."

Managing to get a hold of Ant-Man I told him how I wanted to talk to him about invention ideas that would be beneficial to the both of them and he was skeptical at first but agreed after I quickly explained some ideas for a super prison and potential uses of Pym Particles. The dude was a straight up genius on the level of Tony, but got less recognition because he wasn't showy as Stark. Or made WMDs, not that I was harping on him either.

"Spider-Man a word." Thor said. I walked with him to the side where the others couldn't hear.

"Alright, Hammer Time whatcha got for me?"

"Now that you have caught Amora's eye and have pulled that 'prank' of yours," referring to what I had turned her palace into. Having learnt some basic illusions spells and basic runes, I made it look like the gingerbread house Disney Theme Park Ride. She wasn't going to be happy about that, Thor had helped after I explained or I would've never had the power for it, "There will be others, I realize now, that my presence on Midgard brings attention from my enemies. If you would like, I would be honoured to help a fellow warrior avoid their notice."

He was probably talking about his brother Loki, but I got the feeling that it was someone a little more important, "Sure. It'll be fun."

"Splendid, once we have the Mighty Hulk on our side once more it will be great fun." He boomed a laugh.

"What happened to the Green Man anyway?"

His face contrite, "Ah. Yes, that was a trick my Amora, but it was our fault as well. We drove him away when we treated him like a monster."

"Don't worry about it man, it's not like you meant it in a bad way, I'm sure you two will be buddy buddy in no time."

He seemed happier, "Thanks Spider-Man. We will talk again soon. Farewell." He left with the rest of them for Avenger's Mansion.

Wow, I just realized how rich they were. I held up a small golden coin. I would be joining their ranks soon enough.

/

.

/

Landing in front of my house I found the lights open and realized Aunt May was up at 1AM.

That, was a problem.

/

.

/

I walked in expecting her to maybe be asleep at the table. Who am I kidding I was Spider-Man.

"Hello Peter." If I hadn't been expecting her that would've been such a bond villain line.

"Hello Aunt May."

"Peter we need to talk." She put a quiet hand on my shoulder and instantly I relaxed it not realizing how tense I had been. She lead us to the kitchen where I sat down on the chair looking at my glass of water and cold dinner.

"I know you're a good boy, and growing up to be a fine young man. But you're still my responsibility, I can't have you out till Midnight. You're to be home by 10 o'clock, that's my bedtime."

She continued almost seeming hesitant but assaured, "If you're late you call, _before_ ten. If you do call, it will be that you are heading home. That's the law in this house Peter. Do we understand each other?"

I was quiet for a moment, "Sure Aunt May. That's fair."

She let out a small breathe, "Ah lovely! Now how about a slice of banana cream pie."

/

.

/

She had given me a curfew. Me. A curfew. I've never had any curfew placed on me, even my alternate's memories didn't ever have a curfew.

Honestly reeked.

Still…I understood her, and didn't want to worry her in the slightest. She was a wonderful person watching out for me.

I looked at the stack of rune scribed books on my shelf giddy at learning magic I was having a hard time falling asleep. The best part of today was that I had gotten an Avenger's Card. Even if Tony had been a little reluctant after I destroyed parts of his armour and beat them all. (Even if it was by surprise, it still counted.)

Of course I had to take it apart as soon I had gotten it and took out the tracking chip and left it nowhere near my house.

I liked Tony. But I wasn't stupid.

Darkness encroached as I had a massive smile on my face. Even with the mind control, today was amazing. Tell me there's something better. Go ahead, try.


	4. 004

Chapter 004 [...Spectacular...]

Friday, Sept 5, 2008

I walked on the side of one of the many corporate skyscrapers. Probably freaking someone's boss, and the employee getting demoted for not warning him.

This had become my new normal . It was strange how this felt like down, even though I knew that wasn't the case. I read somewhere that we only recognized where Gravity was due to the Vestibular System. The System was located in our ear cavities where minuscule crystalline stones floated and quite literally sunk in response to gravity.

That was how we understood what down was, which made me wonder what my recent genes had done to them to change my balance and perception of gravity.

That was what happening how it felt and looked on the other hand was a scene straight from Inception where the city lifted up and held itself there like a massive wall that cars drive vertical on. Or how Ichigo from Bleach just stood on the side of skyscrapers as he battled his inner demons. Just going to add in Dr Strange's maddening scene of twisting reality as well.

Stepping onto the building over, I stood horizontally fifty meters in the air, without hesitation. I just couldn't feel the fear.

Regardless, it was a nice way of relaxing while I thought about random boring/serious problems plaguing my life.

I didn't know if this world was any different from my alternate's memories since his life wasn't normal in the least, but apparently I could get my GED after about a year.

I stopped, nearly running into one of the window cleaners. He looked at my feet then to the windows before I looked where I walked had was smudged the glass. Looking back at his pained expression, I sighed, and asked for his wiper which he handed over with a thankful look and I went to work wiping my footsteps off.

They had some restructuring to do after the Gravity Guy (his name was too dumb to bother remembering) destroyed the portion of the city that dealt with GED.

Naturally, that would mean I would be stuck in school for another year, if I was fortunate they would be finished a lot sooner. I didn't want to wait so I found an alternative, homeschooling. While it was a bit of a process, taking at least two weeks after talking with an advisor. It was better than waiting for a year. He decided to set up a meeting in a few days, he wasn't sure how long it would take, but within the month he should be out of schooling. He paused his window wiping and wondered what Harry and Gwen would think about it. It was hard to think about them especially when he had overheard his Aunt talk about paying the bills, with his alternate's memories he knew what it was like living life on the streets. Minus the crazy baddies he had to fight- ah, no wait it was the same.

After school, I walked with my tutoring club went about as well as expected.

We were seated in some library near the school, and most of my students happened to be the X-Men.

Rogue kept glaring at Jean, Jean was ignoring her, she and Scott understood some of it, Bobby messed around, and Kurt was eager but having trouble like Rogue.

"Jean, why are you here? You understand most of it and you don't have homework."

She glanced at the others, "Uh, just… hanging out with friends, yeah! And I have a phobia of crowds, classrooms included."

Her "phobia" of crowded classrooms was likely her telepathy acting up, "You know you can homeschool right?"

She glanced back, "Yeah but I want to stick with my friends."

Yeah I was sure that was the reason, "Since you're not doing much you can help Kurt out."

Scott was obviously here because of Jean, I didn't even have to ask, he was at least doing his own work.

Bobby because his friends were here.

"Are you actually having trouble?" I asked Bobby.

"More with biology and calculus than the sciences. And English is such a…" he swore several long explictives I wasn't going to repeat for sensitive ears.

"Don't blame you. Screw serial killer Macbeth and his murder spree and read some good stuff." I handed him Skulduggery Pleasant an old childhood favourite I had been rereading recently, "Make an essay instead on if deteurganists like this make books better than singular protagonists."

He looked at me than shrugged and started on the essay.

While Jean helped Kurt, I slid next to Rogue, "So what's troubling you?"

"What isn't?"

This was going to be a process, "Let's go in order which is the easiest…"

Not the worst way of passing the time.

Once we were done, she spoke up, "Are you sure you don't want to join us?"

"I'm sure. Besides I told you guys already I wasn't a Mutant."

"We're Mutants."

I made it a point to glance at Jean's hair, "Yeah, that I'm aware."

"We- wait you know?"

"Yeah, anyone that doesn't have black hair or eyes has what academics call mutations. And you have white hair atop your brown hair, that's...a bit different."

She opened her mouth then closed it, "That isn't what- That's not what I mean."

Scott steps forward, "We mean people that have gifts unlike anything-"

"Wait time out, are you guys a cult? If this is what that is, I'm going to have to say no."

Scott exclaimed, "What? No! We're not a cult!"

"Are we overthrowing the government? Movies have taught me you need more pamphlets."

Scott sighed, "Listen, Mutants have a thing called the X-Gene, and it grants us abilities."

Jean stepped up, "We think you might have one."

I asked for confirmation, even though it was likely the Cerebro, I really hoped they hadn't seen me changing out of the red and blue "And you know this how?"

They exchanged nervous glances, "We have a mutant detection machine, right now, as of the entire world, there's maybe fifty thousand mutants total."

I blinked, "That's...a very small number." That's a lot smaller than I remembered them ever being in the comics. Where it numbered in the million before jumping to 16 million.

"It is. One of us, a guy who goes by the name Wolverine, he can heal really well, was tortured for a long time. To avoid anything like that happening we can offer you protection." Huh, so he was here too. That meant the Weapon X Program was around here somewhere still doing what they did best.

Scott took over, "We can also help you practise any abilities you have that might get out of control."

"Who's this we?"

"He's…" He seemed to hesitate saying all this to a complete stranger, but the dude had come this far, "Xavier, he runs a school not too far from here, he thought it would be a good idea for us to socialize more with kids our own age. We're taught how to control it in this place called the Danger Room by some others who're just like us."

"What can you guys do?" I wondered if they had the same powers I was familiar with, just because I had some odd metaknowledge via dimensional memories did not mean 100% accuracy.

Jean said, "Lasers, ice, telepathy, power absorption, and teleportation. I can do Telepathy and that's how we found out you were likely one of us, I can't read your mind."

That explains a lot, "You were trying to read my mind?" My voice and expression neutral.

"No- I- I wasn't trying to invade them, just, they leak out like air from a balloon and I can read the signals. But you're a complete blank to me and the Professor, there aren't any signals emitting from you almost as if you were a ghost."

"I'm very real. So yeah, this is nice and all, but I haven't exhibited any crazymutantpowers last I checked." I wasn't lying, "I don't think you guys particularly need me joining your crew." I hadmutatedpowers, which was enough of a difference. Really didn't want Aunt May knowing about all this. They weren't wrong, but I felt it was best to go with a wait and see method first, if I needed to there weren't all that far.

They glanced at each other, "Are you sure, nothing at all?" Scott asked.

Bobby pointed out, "Not even Acid Breath?"

"No, my toothbrush wouldn't survive that. Or my bathroom floor."

Scott scrunched his eyebrows, "This is odd…"

Bobby just outright asked, "Are you lying?"

I looked at him, "Even if I was, could you tell?"

"Point." My spider-sense went off like mad, but I kept still even as I watched Bobby move in slow-motion, blasting me with ice. I slammed against the blackboard knocking it loose, cold exploding all over my body, slowing me down.

"Bobby! Why did you do that!"

"Wanted to see if he was lying. Guess not."

"Even if he was, do you think that would've outed his-"

"I got Rogue to do it didn't I."

Rogue spoke, "Yeah, and I nearly killed you for it."

"And now we're friends!"

I shovelled the snow away, clearing it off as my teeth chattered, "Y-you know I could just have anti-telepathy as my power. Quite literally useless in every way."

"Well..."

"And there could be someone else you guys were detecting instead of me, it's not like being unreadable means I have the X-Gene in the first place."

They were glaring a little at Bobby, "Uhm, sorry?" He cringed.

"Yeah, it's no big, it's literally just snow. Regardless, I don't think you need me in your gang because I'm pretty sure I'mmostlyhuman. Not being able to read me doesn't really mean much."

Jean sighed, "He's not wrong, there have been people I haven't been able to read at times in the slightest."

Rogue looked over, "So I guess we just outed ourselves to a human, nice going guys. Judgement Call was a 10/10."

"Yo, it's not like we can't be friends. Bit of a side note, you guys are still human/humanoid, I don't see how having a single gene difference makes you a new species."

Kurt gulped and clicked his watch and revealed his blue self, "Da, you don't mind us being different?" He stood looking like a blue devil, with yellow eyes that covered his pupils, and a long thin forked tail. He rubbed his three pronged fingers nervously.

"Dude, you're literally just blue with two less fingers, its like you lived under a blue sun your entire life. If I don't treat someone who's lost a limb any different why would I make an exception here? As far as I'm concerned you guys are superheroes in training. Seriously, a little jealous of the cool powers."

This was a little out of nowhere, but since I knew the history of what kind of discrimination they went through, it was likely nice to hear at the very least. Needless to say, I was a little shocked Kurt cried and hugged me, but managed to pat him on the back. They rest went over and put a hand on his shoulder.

Coming out of the trip down memory lane Rogue had finished and had been bugging me about joining.

"We have a Mansion," she proclaims.

"And I have an undestroyed house, it's fine Rogue. We can still hang out, and I'm still helping you guys. I just don't feel like meeting Xavier," I respond.

"Oh come on he's the best. He-"

Before she could go into his accolades I interrupt her, "Used to be friends with the Magnet dude and hasn't dealt with him. Who is clearly evil."

"Xavier just doesn't want to fight and they have different viewpoints is all."

"Magneto literally kills people who disagree with him."

"They generally attack first."

"Upstate New York and Wyoming."

"To be fair they were experimenting on Mutants in Wyoming."

"That I did not know, but doesn't account for every other time and NY."

She conceded, "Yeah Magneto's a douche, just not all the time, I mean. He sort of helps, uh okay yeah he's pretty terrible. I don't know why Xavier hasn't done anything, but that doesn't make him a bad guy."

"Not saying bad, just...look I'll meet him at some point-" at her smug smile, "I said atsome point."

She shrugged, "It'll do." Out of the group she was the one that defended Magneto the most, I guessed it had something to do with Mystique which they had mentioned earlier. She and a few others calling themselves the Mutant Revolution lead by Magneto.

I made a mental note to look into power dampener spells.

I couldn't just have a simple swing over, about twenty crime busts, a drug raid, and messing with the obviously criminal mafia, (no matter what the official statements made by the police say) I landed near the gates of the mansion.

The place was massive and as pretentiously grandiose as I thought it'd be. Multi-story, a massive green front yard with a tree, and a drive in surrounding a ridiculously ornate fountain. Tony really doesn't hold back. I made my way up the path near the driveway, trees on both sides. I was let in once I showed the Avenger's Card.

"Hello sir."

I paused and realized my spider senses' silence caused a lack of caution, "Jarvis?"

"Ah I see my reputation precedes me." I turned to see the most english butler I'd ever seen stood at over six feet tall around 190cm and a shaved head. He looked like a bouncer who'd joined the Navy Seals to teach them how to fight with class.

He was also standing in my blindspot, "Somewhat, my name is Spidey, my dad was Mr. Spidey and mum, Mrs. EightLegs. Nice to meet you."

He shook the outstretched hand, "Likewise, is there anything I can get for you, sir?"

"Yeah, is Thor in?"

"He's acquisitioned the training room for 'testing the magic room's mettle'" I could swear he smiled.

"Gotcha, thanks."

"Anytime, and good day, sir." He then strode off with footsteps silent.

I remembered Jarvis was a balding dude not the British cousin of Butler from Artemis Fowl. If he was anything like Butler, he'd have his favourite gun in his vest called the Sig.

I mentally noted to ask him for some training later.

Following the sounds of thunder, and large things crashing into the ground. I found Thor wailing on mechanical Frost Giants. They looked like some cross between twenty meter tall Yeti's that were cryogenically frozen and gained Ice Powers. I had no idea how this room functioned or how Iron Man got the room to replicate half of anything in this room.

"Yo Thor!"

"Spider-man! What brings you here friend?" Before he jumped and smashed the nose off one and ripped off the knee of another.

Taking books out of the bag, I held up the spoils of war from Amora, "Do you have anything anything that isn't in Norse because I can't read this no matter what I do." I had tried nearly everything I could think of.

"Room, Hold." Then he flew down towards me, picking them and looking them over, "Truly?"

"Yeah, I thought you said because I had won them or something I could read them."

"Verily…" He flipped through them, "I hadn't been able to read them then, but had seen that it was due to the rights, but if that's not the case. Spider-Man, let this matter lay in mine hands, I will traverse to Asgard to seek the knowledge there." He threw the books into the air and a blast of rainbow latter they were gone.

"In the meantime, would you like to join me in a game of 'destroy the Frost Giant'? It's grand fun. Room, Play!" He laughed before throwing his hammer through a few, wrecking a massive hole in their chests. They fell over with awhump, bouncing once. The floor surprisingly intact.

I looked to the twenty meter tall giants, one's wielding clubs longer than two telephone poles, "Sure, why not."

"Excellent. Room! Raise the level to Jotunheim Level 7!"

"As you wish sir."

The room expanded, and I realized just how massive this place was, as hills and trees rose, alongside simulated terrain. From the walls, furry trolls that looked like a cross between the Yeti and someone's frozen snowman roared in defiance and charged.

I gulped, and thought maybe this might not have been a good idea.


	5. 005

Chapter 005 [...:Lost of when we wake…]

Swinging back, I picked up my ringing phone with aching arms. Gwen called and had asked to meet up to talk about Harry.

"Yeah, I could use the relaxation." My arms were killing me. The things I do for friends.

.

I landed at the scheduled meet near Starbucks, the soon to be coffee giant of america.

I pushed open the glass door to find her sitting on one of the more comfier sodas near the fire. She waved when she saw me, I returned the gesture.

My mind on the other hand was in turmoil. When I looked to her I saw how she had always been. Kind, compassionate and caring, but the alternate memories told a very different picture, especially the comics, and considering how accurate they had been thus far. Who she was and what she had done in them, not to mention how she would die… It was throwing my perception of her into chaos.

I hadn't thought about any of this during school because I was still a little out of it dealing with the new memories, my perception of everything had changed. Now though, focusing on her it was a very different ball game.

Shaking my head, I tried to force a smile, "Yo Gwen."

"Yo? Trying to be hip."

"Have to be if I want to fit in with them Hipsters."

"I can't see you in a fedora."

"Hey, if I get paid, I'd wear almost anything."

She smiled then concerned, "Right, why weren't you coming for the ESU?"

"I thought this was about Harry?"

"Him too, but after."

"Ah, you play a mean game Gwendolyne Stacy." A thought suddenly occurred, "A question before we start, does anyone named Warren work there?"

She scrunched her eyes, "No? Only a family called the Conners, and Eddie."

I was going to have to track his $$ down and bury the nut job if he tried anything. While I was all about giving people second chances, I was not psyched for a clone saga, or anything he came up with. Half my problems would be solved if I didn't bother with keeping Supervillains alive. I tried not to outwardly groan, and that was another problem I would have to come up with a solution to.

Was wiping memories still immoral? Maybe punch them repeatedly in the chain until they get brain damage a bad idea?

Ah, I'll think about it later, for now try to focus on how how to explain why I wasn't coming to the ESU. The teachers had offered internship to the two brightest in the school, which happened to be the both of us, I said I would think about it, and the teacher had stated the importance of such a matter.

I swirled the cup of coffee in my hands, "May isn't talking to me, but we're going through some financial difficulties."

"Oh Peter..." Her expression softened.

"Yeah, she isn't one to say anything but I know I need to step up. And soon." It wasn't like Spidey's life as a crime fighting machine was suddenly going to stop, it was more likely it was going to be turned on its head. I needed to be stabilized soon.

"Anything I can do to help? I know a few places I worked part-time at before- Wait is that why you aren't coming?"

"Yeah, I don't think the ESU can pay me enough. It would be a stop gap measure, there are more problems that I need to deal with soon enough. It would be better if I tested out and finishing school in less than 6 months to a year, and start up a company in the meantime."

She froze, "Test out...like from school, are you leaving?"

"No, I'll be around, just wanted to finish up on the tediousness of classrooms. I need to make money and soon." I glanced to the fire beside us and took a sip, "There are other things I need to put my focus into as well."

"You can just have a part-time job," her eyes a little wide, as she spoke fast, "or, or you could, uh join, the military!"

"The military," a little bewildered.

"I mean," she slumped, "Maybe not the military, definitely not." She cleared her throat taking a sip of coffee, "So are we never going to see each other again. You're just going to leave me- I mean us behind, Harry and I."

"Gwen I'll be in the same neighborhood as you, it's not like you can't call."

"Yeah..." She seemed to be utterly down.

I sipped my coffee wondering if I should tell her I was Spider-Man. But it was likely that wouldn't lead to anything good, it rarely did in Spidey's life. I swirled the coffee wondering if I was basing things a little too heavily on the comics regardless of how accurate they were seeming to be. It wasn't like everything had matched up exactly, only major events and parts.

This was a little out there, "You know I kind of wanted to see if I could hire you."

"Huh?"

"It's not that weird." Talking fast, "I thought I'd get a leg up on the competition by getting one of the smartest, and most capable person I know, who also has a good moral compass. Which in business and especially science seems to be rarer than a legendary pokemon."

She raised an eyebrow, "I think I can stand to hear you go on."

I rolled my eyes, "To sum it up, you actually like science, are good at it, and you're really nice. Also working with one of my best friends is a major perk."

She smiled, "Flattery will get you nowhere. But," she turned serious, "Are you actually serious about this?"

"Very."

She pursed her lips, "And Harry?"

"If he and his dad is cool with it, I have an idea of what he could do." He was a good businessman in the comics but I didn't know how that translated here. I would have to test him to see, but of course I was going to take major precautions. I was going to get Matt Mordock to lawyer up on contracts if he was joining, the Osborn family always seemed to implode and explode not too long after Spidey appears in public.

"I am getting paid right? As much as you're a friend Peter..."

"Definitely, don't worry I wouldn't do that, you'd probably also head the biology division." I wasn't buttering her up or anything she was just as smart as Sue Storm or Johnny, she understood and had a passion for it. If I was going to become a company for mad inventions, she would be perfect.

She said with determined eyes, "I might try a trial period after the ESU if and only if you have a stable company and deliver on what you promise."

"Gotchya. No worries." I felt a little nervous, I had no idea how businesses were run, but they had to start somehow somewhere...right? I knew it was going to be worth it but still I groaned internally from how much work it was going to take.

I took a sip of coffee. Best to change topics, I needed to talk to a legal and business expert on the details later, "So, what was up with Harry?"

She took a breath, "Yeah..."

She went on to explain how Norman Osborn had been dropped from a hundred meters up onto solid asphalt and had miraculously survived. Naturally. While it was one thing to root for the death of a Green Goblin, it was another for hearing Harry's dad had nearly been murdered lunatic in a bird costume calling himself the Vulture.

To say I had mixed feelings was an understatement.

"Where is Harry now?"

"He's been with his dad for the past few days and have cut off contact from everyone. I tried to visit but they wouldn't let me in." Her eyes dropped as she frowned into her cup.

If it hadn't been confirmed Gwen was normal in most iterations I would've thought she had superpowers, "Don't worry I'll go check up on him." One face and I was ready to go see Harry, not that I wasn't going to check on him, but the words left my mouth before I could think about them.

She smiled, "Thanks Peter."

"No problem." She had to have superpowers.

:

Saturday

I entered the ESU with Gwen as she took me there, Eddie was there as he had work.

"Bro! How's hanging!" A giant smile on the tall muscular bound college student. After Jarvis he looked positively small, but he was still taller than me. He walked up and hi-fived Gwen and clasped forearms. I never understood why he did that greeting, but it was cool.

"Not too bad."

"Flash still giving you the up and up, I see you still have your shoes," he grinned.

"I think he likes to sniff socks more so than the sneakers," returning the expression.

"Come on, I'll introduce you guys." He walked us over to a family of three. A shaved blonde guy in a lab coat with a metal prosthetic for his right arm, he had a soft smile as he wrote in his notepad and typed something on the computer with his right. His name was Dr Conners, and his wife Martha Conners who was the redhead watching a little blonde haired kid was like them riding around on his skateboard must be their kid.

They stopped what they were doing when they noticed and came to greet us. Pleasantries were exchanged Doctor Conner said, "Feel free to take a look around, we'll be in our office if you need us," and started to walk there.

I jogged and caught up with them, "I actually have a proposition for you."

I laid out what I had been planning getting everyone in one the idea, "That's not… a bad plan. But I would need to see prototypes and at least a base plan for what you want exactly," as Doctor Conner pulled away from the group and we had been talking serious business in his office. His wife had joined us not too long afterwards. I was essentially a businessman and him my client.

Basically, it was similar to an old social media site called LinkedIn from my world where instead of business associates this would be more under, 'Anyone in Academia or Pursues Knowledge'.

That was the easy sell, the harder one would be the selling them easy to use and repair inventions than the ridiculously overpriced ones they currently had, at a lower cost in return for endorsements of both the site and the inventions that I used.

"Show us what you have."

I pulled them out from the backpack I had been carrying them in. They checked them over quietly asking questions when needed, and once finished they sighed and asked for some privacy. Ten minutes later, Doctor Conners had been scratching his head with the metallic arm he had as a prosthetic.

He sighed as his wife elbowed him with a smile, "Son, you had us from the start."

I grinned as we shook on it. Sweet I was rich now. Alright maybe no rich, but it was a start.

"Something I wanted to mention before, why haven't you shown this to the hospitals, you'd make a killing from how many lives it would save."

"...I need to patent it still, which is still in the process, and two," I coughed, "I didn't think about it until you mentioned it."

He snorted, "You'll need someone helping you organize, can't be that forgetful in business."

Once we left the office Gwen noticed us, she finished her conversation with Eddie, and asked when we had walked close enough, "What were you guys talking about?"

Conners smiled, "Peter and I made a deal…"

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck raise as I looked back to see a screwdriver and tool kit left strewn on the ground.

: Max

Sunday, Sept 7, 2008

I dreamed.

I was four.

An unfamiliar hallway, slamming against the wall as I ran from the monster behind me. Most kids had night terrors, fears of the dark, or random phobias of monsters under the bed.

For me, they were all too real.

I don't know when I understood, or if it really was the first time I had seen death, but I remember sitting and watching a man in a trench coat walk up to a nice couple and chat with them for a few minutes. I looked back to my toys to see if I could stack them diagonally.

When I looked up the couple was gone, and the man in the trench coat had blood dripping down his smile as he stared at me.

Time passed and I had grown used to scenes like them, grown people from all ages simply disappearing after talking to strangely dressed people or sometimes funked out animals. A poodle one second was a lion with acid breathe and a snake's tail before it disappeared.

One day I had cracked the second ever novel I have ever read. I hadn't hit puberty and my mind had still been young things and I still missed things. It was something we had been forced to read as an English Class. It had been recently popular as fantasy. It had been about modern day kids dealing with Ancient Mythology. Suddenly, everything made sense.

The monsters, disappearing people, magic spells I had seen. I wasn't delusional, they weren't the psychosis of a lonely kid who didn't have many friends. It was a massive relief.

But I hadn't really been thinking, my relief turned to horror when I realized how many people had been chased as kids, no one was really safe. The Novel had been surprisingly accurate rendition of a lot of what I had seen even if there was a lot missing like the glowing symbols floating in the air and the monsters that looked very strange even to the Greek mythos.

It didn't matter how much I read, I still couldn't do anything, I had seen people try and fight them with guns, knives, glass, signposts, huge muscles, karate, and still die.

Except two.

Once, when a kid not much older had been running from a large dog about the size of a Humvee, with glowing red eyes. He himself held a glowing gold stick.

When the dog lunged and he hit him, I realized it wasn't a stick. But a Sword. The monster dog had burst blood, and howled a dying cry before collapsing and dropping dead on the spot crashing into him.

Another when some kid had gotten to close to the river and he had shouted something. A glowing word floated in front of him and fried the tentacle.

I didn't want to be next, not when I had finally figured out why they had never targeted me over the others, but that didn't mean they wouldn't soon. I had to be ready, like Batman and Spider-Man comic we had in our class. They won using their minds and being prepared.

I knew what I had to do.

:

I woke up.

I blinked, rubbing my eyes in the glow of the full moon.

That was a nightmare, no a memory from my alternate. Even with my alternate's memories I hadn't retained everything, there were large missing spots. Memories people took for granted or some that were simply repressed due to time, it explained a lot of who he was and the kind of world he had lived in.

Now I was sure it was a variant on an old story 'he' had read in that world, which was a strange thing. Originally, I thought he had lived in a completely fantastical world, since that's what his most recent memories had pointed to. It was surprising where he had started out.

I quickly wrote down the dream memory in case I had forgotten, it might come in handy later. If I didn't forget that was.

It was very close to Percy Jackson stories, but there were massive diveragences and differences in the world. Excluding that, he himself wasn't even a Half-blood or anything like it, he seemed to be entirely human with only possessing Clear Sight with how little the Mist had affected him.

He came across few people like him that could fight, and most of nearly everything was trying to kill him, this time a little more than normal.

Though there was also something about how Hecate created a lot of the Mist in the Mortal world. It was vague but the definition was something like 'a veil between the supernatural and mundane warping the perception of mortals to see things into their view of reality'.

Which now that I thought about it was rather bullshit.

This proved to me further that I had only gotten his memories and not anything else, because in his more recent memories he had gotten a strangely multi-coloured glowing sword and had been incredibly skilled at it. His vision had also mutated for some reason. He was definitely not normal. I didn't have his vision, even in the mundane he had a type of ability to see the unseen, almost clues or things that others would miss piercing sub dimensions.

In essence, I had none of his original abilities.

Which sucked because the eye ability was cool as shit. He seemed to be unique in that regard as well since I hadn't seen anyone else in his memories with one.

I yawned, putting away the book and went back to sleep. Ah, well, his monster fighting days weren't as important as his memories reading spider-man and marvel comics, those would be a lot more handy.

I rolled over and went back to sleep.

:


End file.
